Studio 100 Inks Maya the Bee Licensing Deal in CEE

PARIS: Egmont Kids Media is to develop a line of books and magazines based on the new CGI Studio 100 series Maya the Bee for Central and Eastern Europe.

Egmont will release storybooks, activity, audio and novelty books, and branded magazines based on the series, which will become available as the series is launched on television in each territory. The 78×13-minute series will be broadcast on national channels in Central and Eastern Europe in 2013, with a film also in the works.

“We are very excited to have Egmont on board as Maya publishing partner for Central and Eastern Europe,” said Evy Van Nederkassel, the business development manager at Studio 100. “Not only are they the market leader in the region, but they share the same enthusiasm and vision for the brand as us. I trust that this will lead to numerous new stories and innovative products. With the help of Egmont, Maya will entertain a whole new generation of children.”

“Maya the Bee is a true classic character in Central and Eastern Europe and we were very happy to learn that new content was being produced,” said Jacek Beldowski, the senior VP and general manager, Central and Eastern Europe, at Egmont. “We didn’t hesitate too long to position ourselves and got the publishing rights. We are eager to start working on such an iconic brand and trust that our magazines and book ranges will be successful within our market.”